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Syria troops targeted opposition fighters in Tremseh, says UN Syria troops targeted opposition fighters in Tremseh, says UN
(about 1 hour later)
The Syrian military attack on Tremseh mainly targeted guerrilla forces and their supporters, the United Nations stated hours after its observers entered the battered town. The Syrian military attack on Tremseh mainly targeted guerrilla forces and their supporters, the United Nations said hours after its observers entered the battered town.
Residents of Tremseh, a small farming community in central Syria, insist that they were all targets of a bombardment on Thursday which involved mortars artillery and helicopters. They claim that close to 150 people from the town are either dead or missing. Residents of Tremseh, a small farming community in central Syria, say they were all targets of a bombardment on Thursday that involved mortars, artillery and helicopters. They claim that close to 150 people from the town are dead or missing.
However, the Syrian foreign ministry said on Sunday that 37 opposition fighters and two civilians, had been killed in an operation against rebels who were using the town as a base to launch attacks on other areas.The UN monitoring mission in Syria, which sent an 11-vehicle team of observers to Tremseh, released a statement late on Saturday night, which said: "The attack on Tremseh appeared targeted at specific groups and houses, mainly of army defectors and activists." The Syrian foreign ministry said on Sunday that 37 opposition fighters and two civilians had been killed in an operation against rebels who were using the town as a base to launch attacks on other areas.The UN monitoring mission in Syria, which sent an 11-vehicle team of observers to Tremseh, said in a statement late on Saturday night: "The attack on Tremseh appeared targeted at specific groups and houses, mainly of army defectors and activists."
Opposition sources in Hama, around 20 miles south-east of Tremseh say they have compiled a list of 103 fatalities, all of whom are male — a fact that adds weight to the view that fighting-aged males were at least partly targeted during the assault, which has drawn international condemnation. Opposition sources in Hama, around 20 miles south-east of Tremseh, say they have compiled a list of 103 fatalities, all of whom are male, which adds weight to the view that fighting-aged males were at least partly targeted.
Syria' s government insists it was fighting a terror gang in Tremseh – some of whose members had been responsible for a massacre in June in al-Kubeir village, also a farming community in nearby Homs province. Syria' s government says it was fighting a terror gang in Tremseh, some of whose members had been responsible for a massacre in June in al-Kubeir village, a farming community in nearby Homs province.
A foreign ministry spokesman, Jihad Makdissi, said on Sunday: "What happened in Tremseh was a military operation, not a massacre". A foreign ministry spokesman, Jihad Makdissi, said on Sunday: "What happened in Tremseh was a military operation, not a massacre."
Makdisi also denied accusations by the UN that state forces used heavy weapons and helicopters in the attack. He denied accusations by the UN that state forces used heavy weapons and helicopters in the attack. "Government forces did not use planes or helicopters or tanks or artillery. The heaviest weapon used was an RPG ," Makdissi said.
"Government forces did not use planes or helicopters or tanks or artillery. The heaviest weapon used was an RPG ," Makdissi told reporters. "Yesterday we received a letter from Mr Kofi Annan [the UN envoy] addressed to the foreign minister, Walid al-Moualem. The least that can be said about this letter about what happened in Tremseh is that it did not rely on facts. As diplomatically as possible, we say that this letter was very rushed."
"Yesterday we received a letter from Mr Kofi Annan addressed to the foreign minister, Walid al-Moualem. The least that can be said about this letter about what happened in Tremseh is that it did not rely on facts. As diplomatically as possible, we say that this letter was very rushed." To support its claims, the government has offered testimonies of men it said had been ringleaders of a gang in Tremseh who had allegedly made confessions after their capture.
To support its claims, the government has offered testimonies of men it said had been ringleaders of a "gang" inside Tremseh, who had allegedly made confessions after they had been captured. Observers who made it to Tremseh on Saturday reported scenes of destruction in the wake of the fighting, which the UN earlier said had involved between 50-100 explosions caused by artillery shells or rockets fired from helicopters.
Observers who made it to Tremseh on Saturday reported scenes of destruction in the wake of the fighting, which the UN earlier said had involved between 50-100 explosions caused by artillery shells, or rockets fired from helicopters. "There were pools of blood and blood spatters in rooms of several homes together with bullet cases," said the UN spokeswoman Sausan Ghosheh. "A wide range of weapons were used, including artillery, mortars and small arms."
"There were pools of blood and blood spatters in rooms of several homes together with bullet cases," UN spokeswoman Sausan Ghosheh said. "A wide range of weapons were used, including artillery, mortars and small arms." Earlier Annan said he had been shocked and appalled by the violence in Tremseh. Monitors reported many homes and a school had been badly damaged or destroyed. Two Tremseh residents who spoke to the Observer on Saturday denied that guerrilla forces such as the Free Syria Army had been in Tremseh in large numbers before the fighting started.
Earlier, the UN's envoy to Syria, Kofi Annan, said he had been shocked and appalled by the violence in Tremseh. Monitors reported many homes and a school, had been badly damaged, or destroyed. Two Tremseh residents who spoke to the Observer on Saturday denied that guerrilla forces, such as the Free Syria Army, had been in Tremseh in large numbers before the fighting started.
However, one witness said FSA elements had joined the battle by mid-afternoon on Thursday, when regime forces, backed by a militia, are thought to have entered the town.However, one witness said FSA elements had joined the battle by mid-afternoon on Thursday, when regime forces, backed by a militia, are thought to have entered the town.
Residents in Tremseh said they fled their homes and as regime forces entered and said some of them were hunted down as they fled through nearby crop fields. "We don't understand why they attacked us," said a local woman, Umm Khaled. "We haven't brought harm to the region. All we've done here is hold demonstrations." Residents said they fled their homes and as regime forces entered and said some of them were hunted down in nearby crop fields. "We don't understand why they attacked us," said a local woman, Umm Khaled. "We haven't brought harm to the region. All we've done here is hold demonstrations.
"I swear that we don't have any terrorists, Salafists, or anyone from the outside here," said Khaled. "People have been terrified ever since [regime forces] came to the village in January and killed 40 of us. This time they stole from our homes, they robbed jewellery from women. All of this because we support the revolution?" "I swear that we don't have any terrorists, Salafists, or anyone from the outside here. People have been terrified ever since [regime forces] came to the village in January and killed 40 of us. This time they stole from our homes, they robbed jewellery from women. All of this because we support the revolution?"
A second Tremseh resident, who wanted to be known only as Mohammed, said: "The bombardment started at 5.30am and ended at 2pm. The incursion started at midday from the north of the village. Shabiha and regime military men entered the village and occupied the roofs of high buildings and shot at anything moving.A second Tremseh resident, who wanted to be known only as Mohammed, said: "The bombardment started at 5.30am and ended at 2pm. The incursion started at midday from the north of the village. Shabiha and regime military men entered the village and occupied the roofs of high buildings and shot at anything moving.
"They shot many civilians in the head and then burned the bodies. They handcuffed civilians and then shot them in the head. They burned shops and houses with families inside. After what happened, the FSA [Free Syrian Army] members tried to get inside the village to help with burying the martyrs and tending to the wounded but they couldn't."They shot many civilians in the head and then burned the bodies. They handcuffed civilians and then shot them in the head. They burned shops and houses with families inside. After what happened, the FSA [Free Syrian Army] members tried to get inside the village to help with burying the martyrs and tending to the wounded but they couldn't.
"The criminals took many martyrs' bodies and wounded civilians with them and there are many missing people and burnt dead bodies with no way to identify them.""The criminals took many martyrs' bodies and wounded civilians with them and there are many missing people and burnt dead bodies with no way to identify them."
Gunfire continued in the hinterland near Tremseh on Satuday morning, but it was not clear whether it was the result of clashes. The UN was on Sunday planning to re-enter the village and speak with eyewitnesses. Gunfire continued in the hinterland near Tremseh on Satuday morning, but it was not clear whether it was the result of clashes. The UN was on Sunday planning to re-enter the village and speak with witnesses.